


not-dates are okay too

by writingkilledreality



Series: the bird and the gemstone [5]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Age Difference, Angst, Developing Relationship, F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, How Do I Tag, I might be an awful human being, I struggled with this title, I'm Bad At Tagging, My fingertips hurt after writing this, Not Beta Read, not-dates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-20
Updated: 2017-04-20
Packaged: 2018-10-21 04:44:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10677945
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writingkilledreality/pseuds/writingkilledreality
Summary: "If it's not a date, then what is it?" Ruby questioned with a wide, playful grin, propping her head up on her hand as she watched him."This is me, an adult who is responsible for you, a child, making sure that you do not die from starvation or malnourishment," Qrow explained, dramatically gesturing to Ruby as he spoke.





	not-dates are okay too

**Author's Note:**

  * For [](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts).



> so, i have like a handful of ideas to write and a handful of oneshots to finish, yet i wrote this sunday and finished today. i have problems. i am alive, and i am still writing Qrow/Ruby stuff, just very slowly and randomly. anyways, i dedicated this oneshot to Ardianna because of the cutest author's note ever. the little shout out made me so happy/giddy and gave me enough energy to want to finish and post this. anyways, you should totally read Ardianna's Emerald Rose story because it's great and i'm constantly checking my email for updates. and yes i do squeal like a fangirl when there is an update. anyways, it's on the Qrow/Ruby tag, so check it out. and thanks for inspiring me to finish writing this. enjoy~

"Qrow, just admit that this is a date." Ruby smiled over at Qrow, who was taking a drink of his water with an eye roll. Qrow set down his drink as he gave her a disapproving look. 

"This is _not_ a date," Qrow told her with a sigh. They had been going back and forth about being on a date since they sat down. Ruby was totally convinced that they were on a date, but Qrow was persistent in making sure that she knew that it was not a date, not one bit, at all. It wasn't at all like a date. Seriously, it wasn't like they were two people with romantic feelings for each other spending time together in a public setting, just the two of them. It wasn't like that at all.  

The two were seated at one of the Vytal Festival's many food stalls, waiting to be served their food. The sun was setting, they were the only two people seated at the stall for the time being, they were immersed in their usual easygoing banter, it was all highly romantic.  

"If it's not a date, then what is it?" Ruby questioned with a wide, playful grin, propping her head up on her hand as she watched him.  

"This is me, an adult who is responsible for you, a child, making sure that you do not die from starvation or malnourishment," Qrow explained, dramatically gesturing to Ruby as he spoke. Ruby let out a giggle as Qrow felt all the tension from the last few months without her vanish. She truly was his safe place. No matter what was going on, no matter the darkness circling around in the depths of his mind, he could always go to her and feel as if the world was perfect. Ruby was simply a physical manifestation of the peace Qrow always desired and needed.  

Ruby, deciding to drop the topic for the time being, took a sip of her own water before setting down the drink and running her finger along the rim of the glass. She was quiet in thought as she watched a droplet of water trail down the side of her glass. Her eyes were still glued to her glass as she quietly asked, "How have you been?" She knew that Qrow had been on a _long_ mission since her arrival at Beacon, leaving him unable to call or message her, which was a bummer in the long run of things. Being unable to talk to him had left her feeling lonely the first couple of weeks of school, especially since the only person she truly knew was Yang. Over the course of her time at Beacon, she had gained a multitude of friends to keep her company, however that did not keep her from missing Qrow any less than she already did. She had missed him a lot, and she knew how he could get sometimes when there was too much going on. She was just hoping that he had been missing her as much as she had been missing him.  

"Same old Huntsman stuff. I've been a rough mission, it's made me kind of—you know," Qrow shrugged off with a sigh, trying his best not to worry Ruby about how he was truly feeling, "How have you been? How's it been here at Beacon?" Ruby smiled brightly at the question, easily easing the heartache Qrow was starting to feel. The red hooded girl reached out for his hand, trailing her pointer finger from the tips of his fingers to the center of his palm. It was relaxing and brought chills to Qrow's skin, but then again, he got chills everytime Ruby touched him.  

"It's been great, crazy and hectic, but overall great. I've missed you a lot though, no one really relates to me like you do," Ruby told him as Qrow felt the corners of his lips being pulled down into a frown.  

"Ruby, I don’t want you missing me so much that you miss out on what's going on around you. I don't want you missing out on what's supposed to be one of the greatest times of your life because of me," Qrow spoke softly, a worried crease forming between his eyebrows as he grasped her hand fully in his. One of his biggest fears in life was holding Ruby back. He didn't want her missing out just because she was in love with someone older than her, someone who had many more life experiences than her. Ruby smiled at him, noting how cute he was when he was worried about her. She tightened her grasp on his hand, trying to give him the slightest bit of comfort and reassurance.  

"Relax Qrow, I only think about how much I miss you when I'm bored or sleeping. The rest of my time is spent studying and saving the day. I'm too busy to miss you most days. I mean, between school, fighting off the White Fang, stopping Roman Torchwick, and every other kind of trouble team RWBY can get into, I just don't have time to sit around missing you. I have a team to look after," Ruby said as she removed her hand from his and gave him a reassuring pat on the shoulder.  

"Oh, that’s great, so you're either getting in trouble or missing me, and probably doing the bare minimum of school work, wonderful. Seriously, that's what I need, to be kept up at night worrying about if you've gone after the whole White Fang," Qrow spoke sarcastically as their plates of food were finally placed in front of them. Ruby stuck her tongue out at Qrow before turning to the man behind the counter and giving him a nod of appreciation as Qrow tossed some Lien across the counter. The Lien was taken happily before the man disappeared into the back once again.  

"You paid for my meal, how is this not a date?" Ruby questioned with a raised brow as Qrow resisted the urge to smile. She was too damn cute for her own good.  

" _Adult_ , _child_ ," he emphasized as he gestured between them, movements far too exaggerated just so she would understand and listen to him. Of course, Ruby would never fully listen to him, she was far too stubborn, but it didn't hurt to try. Ruby grinned as she stabbed at her food with her fork.  

"I'm not a child, first off. And you're just mad cause I'm right," Ruby mumbled before taking a bite of her food. Qrow playfully glared over at her as Ruby exaggeratively looked everywhere but him, as if he didn't exist and she didn't just say anything.  

"Keep saying this is a date and see if I ever take you out to eat again in this lifetime," Qrow threatened semi-jokingly. Ruby's eyes shot back to him as she let her jaw drop in fake outrage, lifting her hand dramatically to her chest as if she had just been burned.  

"What about your adult responsibilities of making sure I don't die?" Ruby asked dramatically as Qrow let out a wholehearted laugh. He had missed this. He had missed her goofiness and their quick witted back and forths more than anything.  

"You're such a dork," he laughed as Ruby dropped the dramatics and joined in his laughter. Qrow let his laughter fade out, instead listening to the melody of her giggles. Her laughter would forever be his favorite sound. Her laughter was the best music he had heard in his entire existence. Ruby's giggles settled down into a smile as she glanced over at him.  

"You're staring at me," Ruby commented with an ever present smile, "Why are you staring at me?"  

"I've just missed this, that's all," Qrow explained, a gentle smile gracing his face. Ruby felt her heart swell with pride, always happy to be the cause of Qrow's smile. "I've missed you and your laugh. Not to mention you're one of the few bright spots in my life, probably the brightest one at that. You're just an easy person to miss." Ruby tilted her head away from him sheepishly, always bashfully when he said sweet things to her. A blush spread across her cheeks, tinting her cheeks with a bright red.  

"If I tell you something, do you promise not to think of me as a horrible human being?" she asked cautiously as she played with her fingers.  

"I would _never_ think of you as a horrible human being," Qrow told her in a serious tone, waiting for her to continue.   

"I've sort of been hoping that you've been as miserable as I've been, you know, missing you and whatnot. It sort of makes me feel better to know that you're actually—"  

"Committed to you? Missing you like a normal person?" Qrow interrupted with his suggestions knowingly. Ruby nodded sadly as Qrow reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Of course I've missed you, little red. Any man would be stupid not to. And no, you wanting me to miss you doesn't make you a horrible person. I'm always hoping you miss me as much as I miss you, it makes me feel better about the whole robbing the cradle thing. Besides, you probably have it a lot easier than I do. You have friends around to keep you company, I'm usually alone." Ruby pouted slightly as she leaned closer to him.  

"I don't want you to be lonely," Ruby whined as Qrow rolled his eyes.  

"It's okay, little red. It’s being made up for now," Qrow told her as a smile spread across her lips. Ruby felt her stomach flip and her heart flutter in delight; his smile was art and she was in love with art. Ruby shifted in her seat, dinner completely forgotten as she leaned closer to him.  

"I've been lonely without you, too, you know," Ruby countered as Qrow nodded jokingly at her.  

"Is that so?"  

"Yeah, I haven't been able to talk to you at all. You've been away on your mission for quite some time now, I've missed you and your voice. I've been lonely without being able to talk to you," Ruby told him quietly, meeting his gaze. The usual intensity that occurred between the two resumed with a vengeance as they stared each other down. The breath was punched from her lungs as she watched Qrow's eyes flicker down to her lips.  

"I guess I'll just have to make it up to you since you're insinuating that it’s my fault," Qrow said in a voice so low that it brought goosebumps to Ruby's skin. A chill ran down her spine as she watched him lift a hand to her hair. His fingertips brushed softly against her cheek before making their way gently through her hair, fingers playing with the tips of her hair every now and then.  

"How are you going to make it up to me?" she whispered, Qrow humming as he leaned closer to her.  

"How do you want me to make it up to you?" Qrow mumbled as he continued to play with her hair.  

"Hey Ruby!" a voice called out loudly as Ruby quickly jumped away from Qrow, not at all suspicious in the least bit. Qrow, knowing Ruby's reactions all too well, immediately released her hair, keeping it from getting knotted and caught in his fingers.  

"Every single time," Ruby groaned to herself before turning around in her seat, smile plastered to her face, "Hey Jaune."  

"Miss. Rose," Jaune greeted with an exaggerated fanciness.  

"Mr. Arc," Ruby echoed in the same tone. A smile spread across Jaune's face at her response as Qrow watched the two. He was glad that Ruby was making friends; she had trouble making friends in the past, never finding anyone she truly related to, beside him of course. Seeing her with her team and seeing her talking to friends with such ease and happiness made Qrow's chest swell with joy. All he ever wanted was for her to be happy, and she seemed to be very happy at Beacon.  

"So, is this the infamous uncle I'm always hearing about?" Jaune asked as he gestured over to Qrow, who looked like he could care less about what was happening. Ruby blinked a few times as she tried to remember what exactly she had told Jaune. Had she told him the entire story with her and Qrow? Qrow raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to speak as Jaune let out a sigh. "Yes, you told me the whole story, there's nothing you need to filter and hide." Ruby immediately lit back up as she nodded at Jaune happily.  

"Yep, this is Qrow," Ruby introduced as Qrow gave a slight nod.  

"Jaune Arc, pleasure to meet you," Jaune said happily as he held out his hand, "And yes, I know how you two really feel about each other. I just want you to know that there is no judgment coming from my end, because at the end of the day, it's not my business or my life." Qrow sent Ruby a puzzled look as he shook Jaune's hand.  

"Is he seeking approval from me or something?" Qrow questioned Ruby with confusion.  

"Probably," Ruby answered with a shrug, "Jaune has like, seven, sisters, he seeks male approval wherever he can. He also hangs mostly around women, so he's missing some crucial boy interaction in his life." Qrow chuckled as Jaune pouted at Ruby.  

"Don't tell people that," Jaune mumbled as Ruby waved him off.  

"Relax Jaune, Qrow doesn’t care, not unless you like me," Ruby said as Jaune shook his head violently. Ruby let out a soft laugh before turning back to Qrow. "Jaune was my first friend here at Beacon, if you don't count Yang."  

"We don't count Yang," Jaune interjected with a half-assed shrug.  

"You watch out for her?" Qrow spoke up as Jaune choked slightly on air. Ruby was lucky she never had the pleasure and privilege of bringing a boy home, because boys like Jaune would surely pass out from the intimidation from Qrow and Taiyang. Seriously, Qrow wasn't even trying to intimidate Jaune and the poor boy was already swaying on his feet. Ruby nodded at Jaune, trying to cue him to speak.  

"Of course I do," Jaune answered finally, "I've always got her back. She's the best person I know, it's easy to feel protective of her. But, more importantly, she doesn't need me to have her back. Her team does a great job of watching out for her; plus, she can take care of herself. More often than not, she's watching out for me and everybody else. She's great, and I'm sure some of that has to do with you, so thank you. If you hadn't trained her so well, I'm not sure I would even be a team leader still, or if I'd even be a Huntsman anymore. You definitely lucked out with this one."  

"Lucked out," Qrow chuckled under his breath, not letting the irony of him being lucky pass by, "Yeah, I definitely got lucky." Jaune gave Ruby a questioning look, not getting what was so funny.  

"Don't ask," Ruby told Jaune before he could question her. Jaune gave a shrug, not in the mood to even attempt to understand what was going on. Jaune glanced between Ruby and Qrow, just now noticing how close they were seated together and the fact that they were alone together having a meal.  

"So, are you two on like a date or something?" Jaune inquired, glancing between the two once again as Ruby's eyes lit up.  

"Yep, we're on a date," Ruby answered, her voice dropping low at the word date as if it was some kind of secret. Well, maybe it kind of was. Qrow glared over at her as he raised his pointer finger at her.  

"No," he chastised her like a child, advancing his statement by pointing at her harshly. Ruby resisted the urge to laugh, instead rolling her eyes as Qrow turned to Jaune. "No, we're not on a date. I am merely making sure she's fed like a normal human and not living solely off of caffeine and cookies." Qrow continued explaining what was going on as Ruby mouthed "date" to Jaune, nodding her head with certainty.  

"Okay," Jaune drawled out, giving Ruby a wink that meant he understood her, "It's technically a date, but Qrow doesn't want to admit it, got it. Anyways, I've got to go, I'll see you later. If you go to see anymore fights, tell me so that I can tag along, I love hearing your commentary."  

"Don't make fun of me," Ruby called out as Jaune walked off.  

"Interesting friend," Qrow commented as Ruby nodded along with him, "He speaks very highly of you I see."  

"Someone has to," Ruby joked before growing serious, "I give him a lot of advice, and in return he listens to be babble." Qrow smiled, glad that Ruby had someone to talk to when he wasn't around. It also helped him in the long run; he loved Ruby and was more than willing to listen to anything she had to say, but teen drama often made his head hurt. Qrow reached out and brushed a stray eyelash from her cheek, his fingers tracing the red of her cheeks.  

"You do babble a lot," Qrow told her, choosing to keep his thoughts to himself. She laughed, making Qrow's chest swell with happiness. "Luckily it's cute."  

 

* * *

 

The sun was officially set as Qrow and Ruby quietly walked the campus grounds, the only source of light being the broken moon and the few and far lamps on campus. Ruby was tucked securely under his arm, pressed firmly into his side as if he was fearful of her disappearing. A few nosey glances were thrown their way as they walked, but Ruby barely gave them a second glance. She could care less, never really being one to care about what other people thought. It was her life and her relationship, it was no one else's business, no one had the right to have an opinion about her life and relationship. Besides, Ruby has always clutched to Qrow when she walked, that's probably how she learned to walk. They've walked with her tucked under his arm, pressed securely into his side, before she ever knew what love was. The physical contact was always purely platonic, though it was becoming a more romantic gesture in the last couple of years.  

Ruby quietly played with a button on his shirt as Qrow smiled down at her, admiring the thoughtful look on her face. Her mouth moved with silent words as she mouthed whatever thoughts were going on in her head. Her eyebrows were raised slightly, creasing every now and then. Qrow knew her well enough to know that she was having a conversation with herself. It was beyond adorable; he found himself falling more and more in love with her everytime he watched her. He waited for a moment, letting her continue with her internal conversation.  

"What are you overthinking about?" Qrow questioned her as the red hooded girl broke out of her thoughts and glanced up at him in confusion, "You have a tendency to play with my shirt when you're thinking about something. It's a cute habit, but it still means something's on your mind."  

"You know me so well," Ruby said jokingly as Qrow tapped her on the head with his free hand.  

"What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" A smile tugged at her lips as she glanced back down and resumed playing with his shirt button.  

"I'm just thinking about you leaving again soon. I know you'll have to leave eventually, even if you don't want to, it's just a part of the job. Trust me, I'm used to it. It doesn't hurt my feelings or anything, cause I get it, I understand. Of course a part of me feels sad that you'll have to leave me again, but there's also a part of me that's happy about you leaving and doing your job. I'm not as bitter about you leaving anymore, because I'm not stuck at home waiting for you to come back. I'm here, and being here means I'm closer to being a fully trained Huntress. I'm getting closer and closer to being able to go on these long, far away missions with you. We'll have more time together instead of apart," Ruby explained as Qrow nodded in understanding. He understood where she was coming from; he too hated when they weren't together. However, a part of him had always been dreading the day Ruby would graduate, become a fully trained Huntress, reach that line of being an adult. It was all terrifying to Qrow, though he'd never admit it out loud.  

"Fantastic," Qrow mumbled sarcastically, trying to shove his thoughts away as Ruby poked him in his side.  

"I know it scares you, but it's true," Ruby told him as Qrow moved his gaze from her to where they were walking. He hated when she was able to read him like an open book.  

"Why would that scare me?" Qrow asked, eyes staring straight ahead, trying to keep her from being able to read the rest of his thoughts.  

"Because I'm getting older, and you're getting closer to having to follow through with your promise. And while I know you're going to follow through with your promise, because you don't break promises with me, I know you're still scared about the whole thing. I know you Qrow, you're scared of letting me down, or me getting hurt, or really anything involving me. Me being closer to being a Huntress means me being closer to having a relationship with you, and you can't run from that or hide the darkness you go through and possess. You don’t like the possibility of me seeing everything about you, darkness and all. I don't know if it's because you're scared I'll run, or because you don't want to infect me or something, but either way you're scared. You're also scared about me being your partner. You're scared I'm going to get hurt because of your semblance. That's why you're always working alone, you're scared of hurting people, or hurting me," Ruby explained as Qrow frowned, darting his eyes away from her uncomfortable with talking about his feelings so openly.  

"Since when have you known me so well?" Qrow questioned as he shifted slightly. He loved Ruby more than anything, and he loved that she knew him so well, that she took the time to know him so well, but sometimes it was unnerving _how well_ she knew him.  

"Since always," Ruby answered with a smile, "Look, I'm not going anywhere, no matter what, you'll be stuck with me for quite some time." A smile graced his lips once again as he pulled her closer into his side. Even he couldn't stay in a sour mood when she was saying things like that.  

"I think I'm okay with that," Qrow spoke softly as Ruby nodded into his side, happy that he was agreeing with her. It always made her happy when he talked about them being together one day, like it was certain, like nothing was ever going to change, like their feeling were forever frozen in time, come hell or high water.  

 

* * *

 

The dorm halls were quiet as Qrow and Ruby made their way back to her room. The only sounds in the hall were their footsteps and Ruby's excited voice as she told him one of team RWBY's many adventures.  

"Then I ran up the cliff, with the help of Weiss's glyphs, and decapitated the Nevermore. It was totally amazing," Ruby said with a delighted giggle that Qrow found quite amusing. She was walking in front of Qrow—well, skipping was the more correct term—her arms flailing around enthusiastically as she told him about the day they formed teams. The beginning of her story had started off very dramatic, but as she went on, her tone became more goofy and excited, much like a child hyper on candy.  

"Sounds like it was a sight to see," Qrow chuckled. Any of Ruby's shenanigans were always a sight to see, especially if she was fighting. He watched her continue to float down the hall, her fingertips trailing along the wall as she went.  

"It was. I mean, we weren't even a team yet and we already worked so well together. It just felt amazing to find people who were as serious about being a Huntress as me. That's why I've never really connected with people my age, cause they didn’t get it, get me. They were worried about boys and clothes while I was worried about you and weapons. But here, the people are just as driven as I am. Especially my team, they are so driven to get out there and do the right thing. That's why we've taken on Torchwick and the White Fang so many times, we all just want to get out into Remnant and help people. That first day as a team just felt...amazing. It was the first time I acted as leader and they actually listened to me. It was the beginning of everything," Ruby spoke with a sense of wonder that had Qrow smiling. Qrow reached out for her, pulling her back into his arms.  

"I'm glad you're happy here," he whispered as he tucked her head under his chin, arms wrapped tightly around her waist. Ruby melted into his arms as her fingers trailed along his forearm.  

"I'm happy you're here," Ruby mumbled as Qrow smiled into her hair, pressing a few kisses to the crown of her head.  

"I've missed this," he sighed in content as Ruby turned around in his arms, hands trailing up his biceps with ghost-like touches.  

"I've missed this too." The two shared a smile before Qrow reluctantly let Ruby untangle herself from his arms. They continued their trek to her room, silent and slow as if the moment could slip away and vanish forever at any given second. Shoulders bumped every now and then, fingers brushing against each other, hands aching to reach out for the other, small movements and actions speaking more than words ever could. "So, is this the part of the date where you walk me home and kiss me goodnight at my front door?"  

"You watch too many movies," Qrow chuckled out as Ruby found herself blaming Weiss for all of the romantic comedies she had been forced to watch.  

"Are you saying you don't want to kiss me goodnight?" Ruby questioned jokingly, "Cause you really need to decide now, we're at that point of the date." Ruby stopped in front of her door, turning to face him with a teasing smile. And—god—he wanted to kiss her more than he wanted to breathe air. She looked so perfect standing there, head tilted up at him in a teasing innocence. Qrow found himself questioning the promise he had made long ago, but found himself shaking his head. He couldn't throw away that graduation promise just because of one night where everything was just romantic enough. He knew he couldn't kiss her, not yet, not there, no matter how cute and teasing she was. He found himself grasping for the typical excuse he used whenever they were in situations like these, he was certain the excuse haunted Ruby's nightmares.  

"Ruby—"  

"Don't give me that wait till graduation crap, I'm sick of hearing it. Don't ruin the moment. It's a good moment," Ruby warned as Qrow nodded his head in understanding, knowing how frustrated she truly was. He knew that she was frustrated with the whole thing between them. Here she was, finding everything she's ever wanted or expected of life, something few people ever found, yet she couldn't have it, but was instead forced to stare at it through a sheet of glass until it was the right time. She was forced to be without her love, for the time being, while everyone else got to keep on moving around her, rubbing their happy relationships in her face. Qrow understood her frustration more than anything. And he felt awful about the pain he was forcing her to go through. But it's for the best. No matter how unfair it truly was. Nonetheless, Qrow found himself letting out a sigh before gentle shoving her against the door, boxing her in with his body.  

"Why are you so set on this being a date?" Qrow asked lowly as Ruby stared up at him, swallowing hard at the surprise of him being so close.  

"What can I say? I'm a hopeless romantic," Ruby said with a shrug, trying to control her heart rate. _God, he's attractive. Why's he so attractive? It's not fair_ , Ruby thought as she tried to avoid looking directly at him, fearful that her knees would give out completely if she met his gaze.  

"It's not a date, Ruby," Qrow repeated for the thousandth time that night, no joking tone to his voice, no teasing layer to his words, just straight forward seriousness. Ruby physically deflated, shrinking into herself slightly when she released that he was no longer playing with her. She glanced down at her feet as a sadness filled her, watching as she dug the toe of her boot into the floor. Qrow lifted her head up, fingers placed gently under her chin as Ruby bit her lip, fighting back the sadness that overtook her. Qrow felt awful for causing the sadness that was swirling in her eyes, but it was the only way for her to truly listen to what he was saying. "It's not a date because it's not enough. I can't be with you the way we both want to be, not yet. It's awful and not fair, but I can’t be with you yet. It's not fair to you. It's not fair because you're here and I'm there, and I'm not putting you through an actual long distance relationship. It's not a date because dating right now is only going to hurt you in the long run. It's just going to be a quick hello and a constant goodbye. And that's a pain I don’t want to put you through. It's not a date because you deserve better than getting dinner at a festival booth here at your school. It's not a date because I can’t do what we both want me to do right now." His voice dropped into a whisper as he moved his hand from her chin and leaned down to her ear. "It's not a date because I can't kiss you, no matter how badly I may want to. And I want to, Ruby, I swear."  

Qrow leaned away from her once more, meeting her gaze completely. Every heart breaking emotion reflecting in his eyes as he stared down at her. Words still hung on his lips as Ruby reached up to fix the collar of his shirt, urging him to continue pouring out his emotions. "You deserve better than what I can give you right now." That's when she saw it. A glimpse of the broken man Qrow so desperately tried to hide from her. The sadness and god awful misery in his eyes and words broke her heart completely, the man in front of her poured out his heart to her and looked so broken with his walls down. The way he spoke as if he was the cause of everything bad in life broke her heart, broke the piece of her soul that he occupied. Ruby lifted her hand from his collar to his cheek, forcing him to look at her when he attempted to look away.  

"It's the circumstances, not you," she spoke firm and convincingly in a strong, even tone, trying to make him believe it to be true, "Say it. Repeat after me, it's the circumstances, not—"  

"It's the circumstances, not me," Qrow repeated after her as Ruby felt her lips forcibly twitch up slightly. Ruby trailed her thumb along his cheekbone, causing Qrow to lean into her touch like a lifeline. Qrow let out a content sigh, relishing in the warmth of her skin on his.  

"It’s never your fault." 

"Never is a heavy word," he mumbled half heartedly as Ruby dropped her hand before growing serious once again, "Waiting isn’t going to kill you, if anything, you're waiting for something better, and you deserve the best, Ruby Rose." Ruby nodded slightly as she pressed her entire weight into the door behind her.  

"I know," she sighed out, "Besides, not-dates aren’t that bad. They’re good too."  

"Yeah, they're not half bad."  

"So, this is the part where you tell me goodnight respectively and we go our separate ways wishing we had kissed goodnight, but still waiting in anticipation for the next time we're together?" Ruby questioned as Qrow chuckled lightly. He watched her with a warm smile before leaning down and pressing a gentle, chaste kiss to her cheek, pulling away just as quickly as he came.  

"Goodnight Ruby," he whispered before taking a step away and walking off to wherever he was staying.  

"Night," she muttered even though she knew he was out of earshot. Ruby let out a dreamy sigh as she touched her cheek gingerly, already thinking about when she would see him again. The door to her dorm opened as she fell through, landing on her back. Ruby stared up at her bedroom ceiling in surprise, all of the air knocked out of her lungs from the shock of falling. Three sets of eyes stared down curiously at her, all of them hovering over her. One of the three girls wore a wide Cheshire-like smile as she stared down at Ruby. Hint, it was not the cat faunus.  

"Hey sis, how's it going?" Yang inquired cheerfully, wide smile still on her face as Ruby let out a quiet groan of pain.  

"It's great, how's life up there in the standing up world?" Ruby spoke up sarcastically as the air began to return to her lungs.  

"Did you have a nice night out?" Weiss questioned as Blake silently helped Ruby up. Ruby was silent for a moment in thought, replaying the whole night over in her head. It brought a soft smile to her face just thinking about it.  

"Yeah, it was nice," Ruby said with a smile as Weiss, Blake, and Yang all shared a knowing look, having pressed their ears to the door when they heard Ruby out there.  

"Well, at least one aspect of your night was good," Blake commented as Ruby smiled at her, cheeks not even blushing at the thought of what they eavesdropped on.  

"You never told us he was so sweet and romantic with you," Weiss sing-songed out as Yang let out a laugh. The girls all began to talk about Ruby's relationship with Qrow, and about everything he was doing right. From what the older girls heard, Qrow was more than worthy of being with Ruby.  

"I didn't even know Qrow could show his emotions like that," Yang spoke up as the girls all laughed. Ruby listened happily as her team continued talking, glad that they approved of her relationship so much. Ruby climbed into her bed, still listening to the girls below as a happy smile tugged at her lips. She loved Qrow more than anything and she was more excited than ever to see what was coming up in the future for them. The girls' laughter mixed with the memories of tonight, made Ruby smile sleepily, glad that everything was going so right. A giddy feeling filled Ruby's stomach as she peered down from her bed, listening to everything the girls were saying, daydreaming about the future and dates that ended with a goodnight kiss.  

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading <3  
> comments make me a happy writer :)


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